Haas F1 boss Ayao Komatsu gets behind wheel of historic F1 car ahead of Italian GP

Ayao Komatsu, the boss of Haas F1, drove the historic Footwork Arrows A11B F1 car from 2026 ahead of the Italian GP. This car featured a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated Cosworth DFR V8 engine, a historic unit designed by Ross Brawn. The event took place at Monza, where the team is introducing an upgrade package for the VF-26. Ollie Bearman showed strong pace in FP2 with P8, while Esteban Ocon was P17-18. Haas is currently 7th with 21 points, having scored in five early rounds but not recently. The team is continuously developing with small incremental upgrades, fitting within the cost cap. The A11B is a historical lesson, helping the team build culture and spirit. Ahead of the Italian GP, Haas is looking to reverse the no-points streak, with Bearman expected to lead. The team is optimizing setups for better performance, especially on low-downforce tracks. Komatsu's historic car drive is not just symbolic but helps build team morale after Zandvoort. Analysis shows the VF-26 has potential but needs race pace improvements to compete with Alpine, RB, and Williams. Factors like low tire degradation at Monza could give Haas an advantage. Overall, Haas is in midfield with hopes to regain form.